Recently in “Galleries”

This past week, at the NY Armory Show, I continued my love affair with the work of African artist, Pascale Marthine Tayou, exhibited by the Galleria Continua, located in San Gimignano, Italy.

Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon in 1967, Tayou began his career in the 90's, when after abandoning his studies in law, he changed his birth name, Jean Apollinaire Tayou, taking a double name in the female form: Pascal(e) Marthin(e) and went abroad to begin his art career. His first exhibition was in 1994 in Cameroon, it was followed quickly by international recognition. Tayou refers to himself as "a lawyer not an artist" saying "I never intended to be an artist, but I'm curious." Currently living with his wife and children in Ghent, with trips to Africa, he says of leaving Africa "I never left my country, I am a traveler now."  The work, like his name, is fluid, easily transitioning between sculpture, drawing, video, and installation ..... purposely mobile .... reflecting his double-life, traversing two diverse worlds. In addition to the theme of movement between cultures, Tayou's work also explores the issues of the "global village."  

I saw Tayou's work for the first two years ago at the Armory and thought it was fantastic. These new pieces are equally stunning and for this "accessorator," his work continues to be among the most innovative and exciting at the show!!!!!!!!!

My passion for English ceramics began with artist Barnaby Barford, a 2002 graduate of the Royal Academy. He is an elegant storyteller, creating unique narratives, using mass-market and antique found porcelain figurines to weave his tales. "Cutting up, exchanging elements or adding to them and repainting then, to create sculptures which are often sinister and sardonic but invariably humorous."

His current exhibition at the David Gill Gallery in London reflects his most recent venture .... animated film ....... creating a world for his characters. "I've always seen my pieces as scenes from a film- I want viewers to make up what happened before and what might happen afterwards- so it felt like a natural progression to work on a film," according to Barford. The work at the gallery is inspired (never replicating scenes) by the animation, he sees it as a "final conclusion to the entire project." Each piece stands on it's own, part of a story, but seen as a complete work of art.

Barford's animated film, DAMAGED GOODS, commissioned in London by the Animate Projects and funded by the Arts Council England and Channel 4, tells the tragic love story of two figurines, who's whole world is lived within the shelves of a bric-a-brac shop. It explores the ideas of forbidden love, material wealth, class division .... all within the "society" of the shelves. The top shelves house the objects that are lavish crystal, silver and gold objects, while the floor is covered with the bits and pieces of broken, discarded ceramics. 

 The film is spectacular ..... charming, innovative, touching, divine ... take a look!!!.

N.Y. Magazine art critic, Jerry Saltz's review of the 2010 Whitney Biennial describes Portland-based artist Jessica Jackson Hutchins' piece "Couch for a Long Time," (top image), as "one of the best pieces here."  The sculpture, a "lumpy" sofa collaged with newspaper clippings about President Obama, cradles a series of "gnarly" ceramic objects. According to Saltz, "All the images together with the cracked pottery evoke intense pressure- the pressure that he, we, art and America are under."  In addition, Hutchins received kudo's from Holland Cotter in Friday's NY Times Whitney review, as well as being included in the Sunday NY Times T- Style section piece about "Whitney women" and ....... the Biennial has only been opened for five days!!!!! 

And if being included in the Biennial wasn't enough for last week .......... Jessica opened two simultaneous solo shows in New York City ...... at the Derek Eller Gallery in Chelsea and at Small A Projects on the Lower East Side!!!!! Her new work is still extremely intimate, very narrative, and a sublime blend of her favored materials ...... glazed ceramics, textiles, papier-måché, collage, and furniture!!!! The pieces are personal, adapting accessible and familiar ideas, sometimes including bits & pieces from her family. Both exhibitions feature a variety of works on paper, as well as a stunning selection sculpture. 

Furniture, either found or from her own home, is a major element in Jessica's work. In a number of pieces the furniture becomes the base for a combination of collaged elements that create "figures" holding ceramic vessels. In several pieces ...... including "Recliner,"  a recliner covered in papier-måché, collaged in color photographs and magazine images or "Leaning Figure," another similar work that has been collaged in a combination of paper, fabric, and paint ...... the furniture becomes an invisible armature. The piece "Kitchen Table Allegory" is the actual dinning room table from Jessica's home. It has been gouged and cut, is covered with colored ink residue, and has been pulled apart, as if waiting for a leaf ...... instead a ceramic vessel sits in it's center. Prior to being a "complete" art work, the table was gouged to create the "plate" for a series of collaged mono-prints that appear in both shows. The piece "Couple," a worn loveseat with two papier-måché, spray painted mounds and a ceramic vessel nestled between them, is another narrative work that intrigues the viewer and allows numerous interpretations. In addition, there are several anthropomorphic ceramic pieces that are monuments to human fragility, "Infinite Break" a reference to Tiger Woods, and "Disgraced Skater," a slumping athlete. 

These over-the-top, "fastastical creatures" .......... designed by Marcel Wanders for Bisazza (see blog 2/12/09), are a limited edition collection of tables or pouf-tavolino (ottoman). I dream about living in an all white linen beach house, "accessorated" with one of these stunning glass mosaic objects ...... a wonderful collection of books ....... and fabulous contemporary art!!!!!!!!!   That's my idea of heaven!!!!!

Galerie Kreo, opened in 1999 by Didier & Clémence Krzentowski, is "dedicated to artistic exploration in design." Known as a "design impresario," Didier is a lifelong collector, who following his passion, has been a major force in establishing contemporary design as an "art form". He disagrees with the term and explains, "there's a difference between collecting furniture and art. You use furniture. It's your home, in that way, design is not like a piece of art, it has a much more functional place."  The galerie produces limited edition pieces from internationally renowned contemporary designers, rather than the conventional model of dealing, buying and selling pieces. 

My heart starts to pound furiously every time I go to the galerie ....... there are dozens of things that I would die to have but,  .... and for the past two years I have been madly in-love with Portuguese designer Fernando Brizio's vase, "Painting with Giotto #3". Created in 2005, this limited editon "vase" of faience (earthenware) and felt tips pens, an edition of 20 + 20 A.P. + 2 prototypes, makes my heart flutter!!!! I love it with all of my heart and am using all the control I have to not bring it to NYC ........ but, my resolve is withering ....... so I thought to make me feel better to share it ......  but, it hasn't really!!!! WHAT AM I TO DO!!!!!!!!!!

Vanessa Stramboni has an "accessorator's" sensability .....  that I adore!! She mixes eccentric French vintage, with African ethnic; blending bijoux (jewelry, in our lingo!), textiles, furniture, lighting, and fantastic objects to create her store's eclectic feeling. I adored the set of four black & white, French 60's chairs, whose seats are re-upholstered in a black, white, & grey wool check fabric .... very reminiscent of Chanel!!!! The collection of black and white African masques, that have a slight hint of red, are exceptional "accessorations" ...... and of course, I love, love, love the African stool that still has touches of it's original bright colored paint!!!!! 

Jody's pictures are film strips, a chaotic mix of beautiful and darkly funny images. She says her work is "a story composed of poured colors, geometric curvaceous shapes, large brush strokes and Freudian dream-like sketches." Jody, a part of the downtown New york art scene,  considers herself a "student of the streets absorbing everything I see."  The show , Dig it!, is a "personal excavation" of her work. Jody's influences include "street art, grafitti, advertising, movies, Africa art, and fetish objects" ...... a melange of images and objects that help her create paintings and sculptures ....... her "urban hieroglyphics." 

When I look at Jody's work, I immediately think of the Bay Area artists who's work I adore and covet ...... Chris Johanson,  Barry McGee, Clare Rojas, and the late Margaret Kilgallen ........ putting her in excellent company!!!!!

Gavin Turk "Mappa Del Mundo," 2008

Julie Verhoeven "Far From The Maddening Crowd," 2008

I am in love with this light fixture ....... I saw it hangs in a double high, glass walled media room on the water in East Hampton!!!! Created by artists Wade Guyton and Kelley Walker, the duo who make up the artistic tag-team Guyton/Walker. The fixture was part of a 2009 exhibition at Greene Naftali Gallery. The chandelier hangs approximately 5 feet long and is a combination of porcelain, light bulbs, sockets, and electrical wires. Each coconut is a ceramic mold, and each mold is created from a different, real coconut!!! The result is that each porcelain coconut is unique!!!! The piece draws reference from previous works that the pair did that included silk screens and inkjet paintings.

Brrrrrrr it's soooooo cold outside ........ and as anyone who knows me knows, I never leave the house from January to April!!!! But, Saturday, I braved the elements and went to the opening of "The Language of Flowers," an exhibition at CRG Gallery. And, I have to admit that this visually stunning show was definitely worth the effort!!! 

The show, incorporating some 25 artists, who use the flower as a common point of departure, features a variety of generations ........ from the influential 20th century painter Fairfield Porter, to the newly emerging painter Steven Bindernagel. The senses are touched by artists who incorporate a wide range of mediums including ...... the beautiful, hanging tape and tar paper collage, Latin Rose (1989) by Jim Hodges; Tonico Lemos Auad's plant and carved stone Medusa (2007); Petah Coyne's Untitle #1292 (Scarlett), a waxed flower piece that incorporates a taxidermy bird. There are stunning exploding flower photographs from Ori Gersh; as well as photographs by Colby Bird, Carter Mull, Bob Beck, and Lyle Ashton Harris. The extraordinary selection of works on paper includes artists Andy Warhol, Bruce Conner, Lisa Sanditz, Hannah Wilke, and four obsessive ball point pen drawings by Butt Johnson. I adore sculpture and this show includes amazing works by artists Hannah Wilke, Nayland Blake, Kathy Prendergast, as well as two divine pscyho-sexual pieces from Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo, that I would kill for!!!!! 

"Barrail designed an object the challenges conventional labels. Using the traditional engraving techniques of the Paraguayan tribe, PAI-TAVYTERA (meaning:"habitants of the city of the center of the world") to decorate a thoroughly modern chair, he seamlessly combines traditional and contemporary design techniques into a single piece. With "El Castor" Pedro Barrail confronts accepted labels to unveil an innovative design style that defies convention." Cristina Grajales Inc.

I think any object that stays with me this long is destined to be part of my "accessorations,"

unfortunately there is no room in my house for these pieces and I would hate to visit them in my storage bins!!!!!!

The ultimate Christmas gift for "the accessorator" is .........either one of these two hand-embroidered tapestries by world-famous artist Takashi Murakami!!!! Created in collaboration with Louis Vuitton, each is a limited edition of 20. The tapestries were hand woven in India, from New Zealand wool, using the lock stitching method, using about 20 knits per square centimeter.  They have been exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Vuitton store in Tokyo, Design Miami in Basel Switzerland, the Hong Kong Museum, the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin ........ and next month they will be at the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs-Elysées, Paris. The square carpet is titled "Pink Time" and the round carpet is"Flowerball," each is available in two sizes ......  unfortunately delivery time is 4 months ...... but you can always print this page and wrap it in a divine box!!!!

Obviously a "major gift" ........ the only response would be a gigantic "THANK YOU", in sky writing over Manhattan!!!!!!!!!!

The "accessorator" loves repurposed work, particularly made from fragments of old & new porcelain!!!!! I am enthralled by how something was one thing ...... and becomes something else. I think change is wonderful ....... for all of us and for objects!!!!

We know that the existence of the "printed word" is in question ...... starting with emails, blogs, on-line magazines, and kindles. Korean artist Airan Kang's project is a poignant message about our potential loss. Moving away from hard copy to digital images is made extremely apparent in this installation of "electronic Illuminated manuscripts," shown by the Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery. Modern-day "illumination" has Airan appropriating existing books and converting them to resin-casted light boxes. Her exhibitions are usually thematic in concept, basing her projects around the context of information, where it is found ...... bookstores, reading rooms, or libraries. This particular installation is a cross section of her work, a "library" of sorts, where each volume is sold individually. The bottom image is a single work ..... a "stack" of Edgar Allan Poe's books.

This "accessorator" was awed by this installation ....... as a reader and collector of books, writer of text, magazine "junkie," and "blogger" it touches all parts of me. In addition, I have a particular affinity for book shelves, their design, and how to "prop" them ...... not to mention my relationship with "color." I'm left with a great deal to think about as a result of this work ....... and that's the goal of art ..... to make you think!!!!!